Rapper Common's White House Performance Draws Criticism

Hip-hop will invade the White House, as rapper Common has just been announced as one of the performers at the celebration honoring American poetry Wednesday (May 11).

The Chicago native will join the likes of Jill Scott, Elizabeth Alexander and Alison Knowles for the poetry-inspired day.

The event, which will be hosted by First Lady Michelle Obama, also includes an afternoon workshop for students. Common will participate in the workshop before performing later in the evening.

His appearance is causing controversy among some right-winged political websites who have written his rhymes off as being riddled with violence, even labeling him a "gangster rapper."

Republican website Fox News Nation called the rapper, born Lonnie Rashid Lynn, "vile," citing lyrics from one of his poems, 'A Letter to the Law,' as evidence. In the piece, which he performed on HBO's Def Poetry Jam back in 2007, Common addresses the conditions in poverty-stricken communities, and police brutality as it relates to America's political climate. Among the most controversial lines in the poem, is when he slams former President Bush and questions the motive behind the war in the Middle East.

"With that happening, why they messing with Saddam? Burn a Bush 'cause for peace he no push no button/ Killing over oil and grease/ No weapons of destruction/ How can we follow a leader when this a corrupt one?" he raps.

Common doesn't seem too moved by the fodder surrounding his appearance, which he found out about via Twitter.

"So apparently Sarah Palin and Fox News doesn't like me," he tweeted to CNN political analyst Roland Martin. He also urged his followers to post links to websites that are taking issue with his involvement in the event.

Controversy aside, the White House event will move forward with the American poetry celebration as planned.

We should have just ignored it instead of giving this guy more attention.It's not just that he was invited to the White House but that this is supposed to be for children...If you check out his lyrics...it isn't just that he calls for a Bush burning but he's pretty nasty to women as well as talking about taking out police officers...this is not the type of person we should have talking to our kids at the White House.I don't care if the Obama's want to have him over to dinner and have him perform his "poetry" for them or even to their kids but to expose other peoples' children to this is absurd.That said, the best thing would have been to ignore it...and chalk it up to bad taste by whomever suggested that he be invited to participate.I have no desire to censor him...just that I find his poetry unsuitable for children and that makes him unsuitable to participate in a program for children.

I disagree with you that we should just ignore him. History is filled with examples of people keeping silent and hoping things will get better...and they never do. Edmund Burke said "All that is required for evil to prevail is for good men to do nothing." Now, I don't think this guy is evil, but if we do not speak up about our displeasure, then we are giving consent by our silence.

You just don't get it the WH is our house the people not this president he resides in it and he should respect the history. But then again what can one expect a rapper honoring a cop killer. Being naive is just plain stupid not dumb there is a difference and most people who accept this are stupid to think that it wasn't planned as a slap in the face to policemen.